Owner's Message

Jalel Aossey, Director Midamar Corporation

The Halal topic is understandably of great importance to all Halal consumers and one in which considerable discussion and debate continues to evolve as demand for Halal proteins grow each year. With over 2 billion halal consumers globally when one takes into account halal food products are not only consumed by Muslims but by people of all faiths, the challenge of feeding the world with halal food will continue to mean that defining halal standards and processes will evolve and require ongoing discussion and debate.

Midamar is North America’s pioneer and oldest Halal food company in North America having been in business for nearly 40 years. As a Muslim family owned company since our founding in 1974, we take great pride in setting the standard for Halal product development and supply to Halal consumers not only in the United States but the world over. Inshallah (God Willing), we will continue our leadership in the years ahead.

Midamar is the first company to be approved by many International Islamic Organizations in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Kuwait, UAE, and more. Additionally, we are audited and approved through Islamic Services of America (ISA) which was started in Iowa in 1975 by my father Bill Aossey and other key individuals and to this day is the most continuous Halal certifying body in the United States and is a leading internationally recognized Halal certifier throughout the Muslim and non-Muslim world. These Islamic bodies further attest to our high standards of Halal production. Above our commitment to our consumers is our religious responsibility for our actions and intentions in this life, especially in our commitment to providing Halal food to others.

On a global scale within the Islamic world, many Muslims believe Halal to mean products that are not only without pork or alcohol but also slaughtered according to Islamic Law. The permissibility of a product as Halal and whether it is slaughtered correctly are not parallel issues in the definition of the word Halal.

Midamar has and always will refer to our products as Halal under the belief and understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) that not only are the products permissible to consume, free of any Haram ingredients but also are slaughtered according to Islamic understanding. Midamar primarily utilizes Islamic Services of America’s halal certification and in other instances recognized Halal certifiers for halal certification.

Midamar purchases beef from facilities in the US and abroad that is slaughtered by Muslims, supervised by Muslims and/or from religious slaughter. This process depends greatly on the availability of cattle to slaughter, breed stocks, natural and organic requirements, specification to consumer needs, production facilities employing religious slaughter capabilities and the export regulations for countries products are sent.

For processed chicken products, Midamar purchases from sources that utilize both hand and machine slaughtering methods. At Midamar, machine slaughters are conducted in facilities which we have confirmed utilize the services of Muslim slaughter men to perform and/or oversee the Halal slaughter process. Tape recordings of the "Tasmiyah" to replace live human Muslim slaughter men at the time and point of slaughter are categorically rejected by Midamar. We realize there are Halal consumers who prefer to consume poultry from hand slaughter facilities and thus Midamar makes every attempt to notify consumers of which items will best suit their level of Halal preference.

As owners of Midamar, we feel strongly that our Halal consumers should be knowledgeable and comfortable with the explanation of our Halal slaughter practices and product development. There is no question the topic of Halal and its correlating definitions is challenging to understand at times. Ultimately, your ongoing satisfaction in our products, our service, and our Halal integrity and transparency are the reasons we exist. We appreciate your business and continue to look forward in being your halal provider of choice.